Relatives comfort each other as the body of a family member is removed at an early morning crime scene, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018. While the number of homicides did not immediately spike in the weeks after Hurricane Maria struck on Sept. 20, police and independent experts say many killings appear at least partly related to its aftereffects. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)

Author: Associated Press

Published: January 11, 2018 2:46 PM EST

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CAROLINA, Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico fears post-Maria murder surge: 11 days, 32 slain

Published: January 11, 2018 2:46 PM EST

Officials say 32 people have been slain in hurricane-battered Puerto Rico in the first 11 days of the year, double the number killed over the same period in 2017.

If the surge proves to be more than just a temporary blip, January could be the most homicidal month on the island in at least two years, adding a dangerous new element to the island’s recovery from Hurricane Maria, its worst disaster in decades.

While the number of homicides did not immediately spike in the weeks after the hurricane struck on Sept. 20, police and independent experts say many killings appear at least partly related to its aftereffects.